AAE -- Wishes Of The Heart

Chapter 9

by LoveCR2

edited by All-About-AAE

 

"This is the kind of magical place where perfect memories are made." -- Jin Sun-Mi

 

 

Up on the narrow ledge, Hyung-Chul cautiously makes his way to the deeper recess in the rock face where Sun-Mi is waiting. She scoots over to one side -- the recess is barely large enough for two -- and he eases down into the naturally-shaped seat.

 

Above, small clouds float lazily in a solid azure sky. The trees and rock rising behind screen them from the trail above; rustling of leaves in the breeze muffles the sound of distant hikers. In this isolated spot, it is as if they have the entire mountain to themselves.

 

"Isn't this a wonderful place?" Sun-Mi enthuses. "Everything is so... perfect!"

 

In the constrained space, they rest, shoulders touching, backs resting against the smooth, warm rock face, legs dangling free over the edge, perched high in the open air.

 

Like a pair of lovebirds in a cozy nest, the thought strikes Hyung-Chul, but he declines to say it aloud.

 

"It's a bit smaller than I remembered," Sun-Mi acknowledges. "But I was just a kid then, too."

 

"Why did you come here?" Hyung-Chul asks.

 

"Because this is the kind of magical place where perfect memories are made," she declares without further elaboration.

 

"Oh... what kind of memories are those?"

 

Instead of answering, Sun-Mi lowers her eyes. Then she sees the lunchbox, forgotten in her lap.

 

"Our lunch! You must be starving!" she exclaims and hands him the lunchbox, enthusing, "Auntie makes the best kimbap!"

 

Hyung-Chul pops a piece of seaweed-wrapped roll into his mouth. "Mmm … You're right, it's delicious!" he readily concurs.

 

He hungrily devours the kimbap, one piece one after another, as Sun-Mi looks on with indulged amusement... until she realizes that the lunchbox is almost empty.

 

"Hey! That's my lunch, too -- I only had one!" she complains and grabs for the box. But Hyung-Chul is quicker and mischievously moves it away, just out of her reach. He smacks his lips in an imitation of her earlier teasing, as she persists in trying to grab the box.

 

"Senior, stop it!" she protests, giving up on the futile attempts, and sulks, "I'm hungry!"

 

He takes a piece from the lunchbox, holds it up, and declares: "Last one." But when she moves for it, he pulls it away again.

 

"I'm tired of playing this game," she pouts, turning away, arms crossed to show her displeasure.

 

Hyung-Chul is unrepentant, but concedes: "Okay, no more tricks. Come and get it, Miss Jin Sun-Mi."

 

When she turns back, he is holding the piece of kimbap right in front of her mouth. She moves her eyes from the kimbap to his face.

 

His dark eyes are intense, looking at her with a focused, probing gaze...

 

Sun-Mi's heart leaps, but at the same time her internal alarms sound imminent warnings. She hesitates, uncertain of how to respond. Prudence wins, and with a nervous laugh she shakes her head, refusing his offer: "Senior, you eat it."

 

But Hyung-Chul moves the piece of kimbap closer, almost touching it to her lusciously full, dusky-red lips.

 

When she still hesitates, he it tempted to toss the kimbap aside and indulge in the sweetness of those lips himself, but resists the temptation, uncertain of what her response would be to such a bold, unannounced move.

 

Instead he cajoles enticingly: "Weren't you hungry? There's only this one chance..."

 

The aroma of the kimbap in her nostrils is too tempting, and her stomach's growls too persistent, to resist further.

 

Sun-Mi acquiesces, obediently eating from his hand, eyes locked unwaveringly on his, until the last flavorful morsel is tasted, savored, and swallowed. Only then does she break her eyes away from his. She presses her lips together tightly, protectively, and waits, wondering what he intends next.

 

Hyung-Chul leans toward Sun-Mi, bringing his face close enough that she can feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek. Then she realizes the sensation is actually coming from inside, where a fire has ignited and is burning hot, making her skin prickle from its heat.

 

He tips his head a little to the side, narrowing his eyes as if scrutinizing something. Then his mouth slowly curves into a thin smile...

 

"There's something," he informs her, "Let me take care of it for you."

 

The pounding of her heart accelerates. A tingle runs down her spine. Suddenly light-headed, Sun-Mi grasps the rocky edge to steady herself. Instinctively she tilts her face up, closing her eyes as she does. She relaxes her mouth, her lips slightly part.

 

She feels his fingers lightly brush her burning cheek. Sparks dance, crackling with static electricity at his touch. The sparks slowly trace a line down to, and over, her lower lip...

 

Through countless TV dramas, stacks of potboiler novels, and hours of blissful daydreams, Sun-Mi has vicariously experienced this scene, imagining what it would be like and how she would respond. Finally... she is living this magical, perfect, moment...

 

Sun-Mi holds her breath with a shiver of anticipation, and wonders... can this be, True Love's first kiss?